Extended Wear Contact Lenses and Eye Health

Extended Wear Contact Lenses are contacts that you can leave in for an extended period of time and can be worn when sleeping. These lenses are different than your typical Daily Wear Contact Lenses that you remove at the of the day before bed. Extended wear contact lenses are generally thinner than regular lenses, which allows them to breathe better and can thus be worn for an extended period of time.

Most extended wear contact lenses can be worn up to seven days of continuous wear, and some can be worn for up to 30 days. Some people experience problems when wearing contact lenses for an extended time, so confirm with your eye doctor that extended wear contact lenses are right for you, and make sure that your eyes can tolerate the continuous wear.

With such convenience, there are some risks. Eye health must be accounted for when considering extended wear contact lenses. There is always a risk that bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms can attach to contact lenses and become trapped between the lens and the eye; however, this risk increases with extended wear lenses because of the longer period of wearing them.

Additionally, some microbes love the warm and moist environment under the lenses, especially when your eyes are closed during sleep. Naturally, your risk of infection increases with continuous wear of the extended wear lenses. These lens-related infections can range from pink eye to more serious eye infection that can permanently affect your vision.

Your eye health is important, so whether you use daily wear contact lenses or extended wear contact lenses, it is always recommended that you make an appointment with your eye doctor and ask them any questions you might have.

Accent Eyes has the latest technology and products to fit the perfect lenses for your use. Call us today and book an appointment with our eye care specialists.